Improved apparatus for removing hair from hides



UNITED STATES it PATENT OFFICE; l

MELLEN BRAY, OF BOSTON, MASSACIIUSE'IIS.`

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 49,496, dated Angust`22,i1865.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MELLEN BRAY, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Machine forUnhairing, Scourin g, and Ourryin g Hides and Skins; and I hereby declare that1 the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a front elevation, and Figs. 2. and 3 side elevations, of a machine constructedl in accordance with my said invention.

The preparation of the skins or hides fortanning and the finishing of the tanned skins or hides involve certain operations which were heretofore most generally performed by manual labor-t1 e., by means of tools worked by hand.'

Thus the unhairin g was heretofore effected by placing the hides upon a block (called beam) and by scraping the hair oif with a concave blade (called unhairing-knife) which tted the curvature of the beam. The striking, scoury ing, or currying, which are a series of mechanical operations for the purpose of transforming the tanned but rough skins or hides into a smooth, shining, and pliable skin, were also `universali y effected by manual labor. All these operations, which have to be carried on by men ctgreat physical stren gth and endurance, and of skill only to be acquired by long and continued application, are too slow to meet the large and constant demand for leather, and

consequently render' leather too dear for an article of commodity of such varied and indispensable applications.

The object ot' my invention, therefore, is to Veffect the several operations before referred to and others of a similar nature by machinery, thus, while saving labor, multiply productiveness and cheapen the article produced.

By the machine subject of this patent I have Successfully accomplished my said object; and in order to enable others to make and use my said invention, I shall now proceed to describe the construction and operation of a machine designed for unhairin g, striking, scouring, and currying hides and skins.

The framing consists of a pair of strong parallel standards, A, of cast-iron or other suitable material, rmly united against tubular braces or cross-timbers B by means of travers- 1n g-bolts C, or otherwise. These sidestandards arearranged t-o receive, inl stationary bearings 1D, the Journal of the screwcylinder E,`whichis a metal cylinder -liavingcast upon it a helical blade or blades.` Iirthis instance there are eight distinct equidistantscrew-th reads formed upon the surface of the cylinder, four of which ,run from the middle of thecyliiider toward one extremity, while the four othersrun from the middle toward the other extremity, making ,right and left hand screws, both starting from one line which divides the cylinder into'two equal parts. I Wouldhere say that this arrangement of screw-blades, cutters,` or Scrapers is not essential, inasmuch as asingle screw running in either direction, or two or more running in either or both directions,willanswer thepur- "pose of my invention, although I prefer the arrangement shown,becau`se`the skin, `underlthe action of a screw-cylinder constructedas described, is less liable to pucker.

The screw blades or threads I prefer to make `tapering toward the circumference, and lthe edge should beian'gular or rounded, according to the work to be performed. Y

In brackets F, capable of a sliding motion up and down in the vertical plane passing through the axis of the `screwcylinder,and in suitable yielding boxes or bearings, Gr,is mounted the drum H, uponiwhich the skin or hide is placedduringtheperformanceofthework. This drum `is here shown to be cfa diameter much larger than thatof the screw-cylinder; bultfthis is not important. However`,.[ prefer tliatfthe relative dimensions of the two cylinders be acaccording to the size of1 the skins or hides to be operated upon.` The drum is. approached to or recededfrom thescrew-cylinder bymeans of lifting-cams I, acting against a crossbar, Kj, extending transversely and uniting the ,twobrackets F. The cams I are keyed` on a1 shaft, J, on one end of which fthereyis lever, L, whereby the attendantisjenabled to actuate the cams to elevate or depress the drum.

In the side standards and on both sides of the screw-cylinder there are mounted in bearings N, made more or less yieldingby the interposition ot' a helical spring, a, regulated by a set-screw, b, rollers M, the office of which is to firmly hold and stretch the hides or skins upon the drum. For this purpose thebearings are movable in the standards in slots or guides which are inclined with respect to each other so as to converge towa-rd the center -or axis of the drum when brought up into working contact with the rollers. The pressure the rollers y one of the drum. To effect this the shaft of the cylinder E is provided with a cog-wheel, 0, meshing in with another larger cog-wheel,

P, upon the shaft of which is mounted a pin-v ion, Q, gearing with the pinion-wheel R, which in'its turn isV mounted upon a vertical screw,I

S, with the thread of which is geared the toothed wheel T fast on the shaft of the-drum.

Motion is imparted to this machine by means .of a band or belt passing over a loose pulley,

U, on the end of the shaft of the screw-cylinder.

In order to bring simultaneously all the operative parts of the machine into working order andto impart motion by thus bringing them into operative condition, I have `combined with the sliding bracket F a friction-clutch, W, in`

such manner that by lifting the drum the clutch shall en gage theloose pulley and bring the sev- 'eral parts into gear; and this is effected in the following manner: To the upper end of the right-hand bracket is attached the forked end of a link, on, whose upper end is jointed io 'a lever or rocker, n, moving on a fixed fulcrum,

inthe side bracket, A. On the outside this lever carries a forked arm, o,which, engaging in the collar of the clutch, gives it a sliding motion on the shaft of the screw-cylinder.

To maintain the machine in or out of gear I provide the frame on the side of the lever L vwith a guard-plate, notched or indented to correspond with either position of the lever.

' The operation of this machine will be readily understood from the foregoing description.

The hide orskin is placed on the drum and heldl thereupon by means of the roller as soon as the drum is raised to come in contact with them. Theraisingofthedrum,however,brings the clutch into frictional contact with the loose pulley, which throws the working parts into gear. Thescrew-cylinder, thus started,revolves at arapid rate over and in contact with the slowly-revolving drum, and by sodoing rubs or scrapes o the hair. Currying and other similar operations are effected in like manner,

although in some cases the pressuremust be regulated to bear with greater force upon the leather.

The rollers may be dispensed with by using in lieu thereof hooks or other fastenings,where by the skins or hides are securely held stretched upon the drum, or other modifications may be introduced without departure from the principle of my invention. For instance, I propose to use a brush running in contact with the screw, for the purpose of cleaning the same of the hair or other impurities that may adhere to it. Another or second brush may be used to run in contact with the leather as it passes from under the screw.

Having now fully ldescribed my invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be carried into e'lfect, I claiml. A machine, organized for operation substantially as described, for the automatic unhairing, striking, scouring, and curryiug of hides or skins in the manner herein set forth, the same consisting substantially of the combination of a revolving cylinder and helical blades with a support for the hide or skin, substantially as set forth.

2. The construction ofthe revolvingcylinder, substantiallyas and for operation hereinbefore described-that is to say, providing the same with aright and lefthand screw-substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of a revolving screwcylinder with a revolving drum, when the two are geared to move at relative velocities, in the manner and for the purpose substantially as set forth. Y'

4. In combination with a revolving screwcylinder and a revolving feed-drum, the pressure-rollers or their equivalents for holding the skins or hides to the drum, substantially as herein described.

5. In combination with the revol-vingscrewcylinderand revolving feeddruni,the arrangement for elevating and depressing the drum at pleasure, substantially as set forth.

6. Combining with the arrangement for elevating the drum to and depressing it from the screw-cylinder a friction-clutch or other coupvling device, in such manner that by lifting the drum the operative parts shall be thrown into gear,while by lowering it they shall be thrown out of gear, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereofI have signed my name to this specification before two subscribing witnesses.

MELDEN BRAY.

Witnesses:

vHOWARD L. HAYFORD, PHILIP BRAY. 

